Comelec suspends Tulfo proclamation over DQ case

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has suspended the proclamation of former social welfare secretary Erwin Tulfo as a replacement nominee for the ACT-CIS party-list after a disqualification complaint was filed against him. 

In an en banc meeting on Wednesday, the Comelec resolved to suspend the proclamation of Tulfo after a petition for disqualification was filed against him by lawyer Moises Tolentino Jr. on Feb. 28.

The poll body said the disqualification complaint filed against Tulfo would be raffled off to a Comelec division for hearing on March 6.

In an eight-page petition, Tolentino said Tulfo should not be proclaimed nominee of the party-list group, citing his alleged US citizenship and conviction for four counts of libel affirmed by the Supreme Court in September 2008. 

The ACT-CIS party-list obtained the highest number of votes in the May 2022 elections, securing three seats in Congress with Edvic Go Yap as the first nominee.

The other nominees are Erwin, Jocelyn Tulfo, Jeffrey Soriano and Effie Vanessa Ynson. 

On Feb. 22, House of Representatives secretary general Reginald Velasco asked the Comelec to issue a resolution proclaiming another nominee for the party-list following the resignation of Soriano.